Yongguang Zou, JianMing Zhang, Fei Hao, Hung-Che Wu, Dan Jin
Museums bridge the past and present by showcasing living history, shaping visitors' cultural identity. This study investigates how museum tourism fosters cultural identity through a mixed-methods approach. Study 1 employs grounded theory based on interviews with 30 tourists, revealing a framework centered on Living Cultural Exhibitions and the Historical Significance of Artifacts. Study 2 uses a survey of 360 museum visitors to validate the model quantitatively. Results highlight the mediating roles of cultural engagement and emotional resonance in linking museum experiences to identity formation. By examining these pathways, this research provides actionable insights for museum management and contributes to the understanding of museums as transformative cultural spaces. © 2025 Asia Pacific Tourism Association.
College of Tourism Management, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou, China; School of Hotel and Tourism Management, Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, China; School of Business, Nanfang College, Guangzhou, China; Department of Management, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia; Saunders College of Business, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, United States
